Date: 11/08/2011

Sony commercializes its 3 Inch LCD module with white pixel

Sony Corporation has announced it has succeeded in commercializing its WhiteMagic LCD modules for digital cameras that utilizes the newly developed 'RGBW method', where the LCD display also has white (W) pixel along with the RGB pixels. Due to the present of white pixel the power consumption can be reduced significantly and also the LCD require low intensity backlight. The white pixel held the LCD display to glow brighter enabling viewing of display in outdoor daylight.

WhiteMagic is a 3-inch 1.23M-dot full VGA LCD low-temperature polysilicone TFT LCD module that adds a white ('W') pixel to the Red-Green-Blue ('RGB') pixels. Sony says this LCD module offers 'low power mode' to reduce the power consumption of backlight by around 50%, as well as another mode called 'outdoors mode' that approximately doubles the brightness to improve outdoor visibility. Even adding the W pixel, the analysis of the input picture data and Sony's unique signal processing algorithm enable images to be displayed without any deterioration, adds Sony.
The 'Low power mode' increases the battery life of the devices, while the 'outdoors mode' facilitates focusing of the camera and/or checking of the images being filmed even under strong sunlight.

Model name Shipment date Sample price
“ACX432AKM” 3-inch VGA low-temperature
polysilicone TFT LCD module Early October, 2011 5,000 yen
(incl. tax)


The addition of a white pixel tends to result in deterioration of the image quality but Sony says its "WhiteMagic" analyzes the input picture data and performs suitable signal processing (using its new algorithm), thus enabling a deterioration-free display.